Suggestions & Rubric for Upcoming Slam!

Yes, it's that time of the semester everyone -- SLAM time, and you want to excel at slamming and not get slammed, so here are some suggestions about how to make that happen. Read very carefully please:

Clarification of what constitutes a slam poem:

1.Your poem can adopt a combination of forms -- free verse and rhymed verse, but it must have some sense of rhythm and flow.

2. A well-crafted slam is highly articulate, highly provocative (gets a reaction out of the audience), sophisticated in its detail and in its performance knowledge (how to get a rise out of the audience).

3. It must include personal experience and figurative language (sound devices, imagery, five senses, similes, metaphors, etc.)

4. It is either dramatic (creates a moment of intense feeling), narrative (tells a story for some larger thematic reason) or didactic (has a purpose to teach some kind of lesson or make a point about something that is very important to you; something in society or at school or in the culture that needs to be changed or needs to be noticed, for example).

5. Maximum time length: 2 minutes 37 seconds; (please do not be too far beneath the time limit either)

6. Music, props, and costumes are allowed.

7. You do not have to memorize it, but you may NOT read it

8. Expectation: that you write the poem by yourself and that you bring the piece to life in front of your classmates so that everyone feels spoken to and everyone can hear and understand what you are saying very clearly and feels moved in some way by your piece (it may be humorous or serious).

Suggestions for Rehearsing the Slam:

1.Make sure the slam poem is well-organized and has all the poetic elements required above;

2. Time it on a few different takes.

3. Think about your body language (Feel free to have others watch you and make suggestions)

4. What will your hands do?

5.What will your body position be?

6. Think about how you will modulate your voice to enhance your poem and not overdo it.

7. What else will you use to enhance your performance?

8.You can't practice too much.

Slam will be graded using the following Criteria:

1. The poem itself: following the instructions regarding rhythm and figures of speech and word choice, degree of creativity/originality of topic, illustrations/examples and execution of poem.

2.PERFORMANCE:Clarity of articulation, body language, eye contact with audience.

Can everyone hear your performance? Adherence to time limit. Penalty for severe under-time.

How did audience react to your work? Did you use voice well? Did you create an aura or a mood in the classroom and sustain it? Was it appropriate to the poem?

Don't forget to bring a typed copy of your slam poem with you.